Illuminated commercial and novelty devices have become quite popular. Such devices include garden and pathway lighting, as well as pendants, pins and the like. Many such devices have increased in popularity as a result of the decrease in cost for solid-state illumination devices, such as LEDs. In that LEDs require much less power than conventional illumination devices such as incandescent lamps, portable power sources such as batteries (whether rechargeable or not) last much longer, also reducing the overall costs for novelty illumination.
Illumination devices are known for use with pumpkins, gourds and the like. For purposes of the present disclosure, such vegetables and others are collectively referred to as pumpkins. The pumpkin can be opened, as by a cut-out made on the top of the pumpkin, the internal flesh carved out, and cut-outs made though the skin. Cut-outs often take the form of eyes and a mouth forming a jack-o-lantern. In this manner a light placed in the pumpkin shines through the cut-out to provide a pleasing or scary aesthetic effect.
In known jack-o-lanterns, the top of the pumpkin that is cut out is removed and a light, such as an incandescent lamp or candle, is placed inside to provide illumination. LED modules are also known that can be placed inside of the jack-o-lantern. In such instances, the top potion of the pumpkin (that portion of the pumpkin surrounding the stem) is placed back onto the top of the pumpkin for aesthetics and to close the pumpkin. One drawback to using an incandescent lamp is that such lamps generate heat and can cause burns if touched. Another, is that the heat from the lamp can accelerate the degradation of the pumpkin. Likewise, candles can cause burns if touched, and can be blown out by wind.
Those familiar with pumpkin carving know that the top of the pumpkin is often the first part to degrade. Exposure of the top to air usually results in the top and the surrounding flesh/skin portion of the pumpkin to discolor, soften and perhaps attract insects. One solution is to coat the exposed pumpkin flesh with, for example, a clear coating such as varnish or the like. However, care must be taken to assure that the varnish is dry prior to use. Moreover, some of the coating that are used may be hazardous to one's health and/or the environment.
Accordingly, there is a need for a topper for a pumpkin, gourd or the like that provide illumination when the pumpkin or gourd is used as a jack-o-lantern. Desirably, such a topper uses low powered (low power requirement) illumination. More desirably still, such a topper serves as a partial seal for the pumpkin. Yet more desirably, such a topper can be used to mark the area on which the pumpkin, gourd or the like is cut.